Stitching device and guide



|. MEDO'FF Dec. 22, 1964 2. Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I '0 JWedo/f I In BY ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1964 l. MEDOFF 3,162,154

. STITCHING DEVICE AND GUIDE Filed April 11. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I T121327 Med'off' BY y 5 WM M ATTORNEY United States Fatent ice 3,162,154 STIIQHING DEVICE AND GUIDE Irving Medofi, Flushing, N.Y., assignor to Emsig Manufacturing 60., New York, N.Y., a partnership Filed Apr. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 136,800 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-2) This invention relates to a stitching device, and is a continuation-in-part of pending application Serial No. 68,516, filed November 10, 1960, entitled Sewing Apparatus.

In the above mentioned application there is described a device for automatically and sequentially positioning a garment with respect to a stitching apparatus for the performance, at spaced points along the garment, of stitching operations as exemplified by the formation of buttonholes, or the attachment of buttons.

In the device of the application aforesaid, the garment is supported in relatively taut condition between two spaced clamps, and the clamps shifted past the sewing or stitching station. Despite the tautened condition of the garment, some difiiculty had been experienced in precisely locating the garment edge or hem with respect to the sewing machine needle, so that the stitching operation might take place at a given controlled distance from the edge or hem.

Also, in certain garments, it is desired that the endmost of a row of stitching operations be disposed in very close proximity to the top or bottom of the garment.

An example of such operation would be the uppermost or collar button of a shirt. Where such stitching in close proximity to the end of a garment is required, the attachment of both clamps to the garment or work piece was often impossible since the clamp required a portion of the garment to be between the jaws thereof, thus excluding the clamped portion from close approach to the stitching area or station.

Obviously, the problem of locating a side edge of the garment with respect to the needle is more acute when only one of the clamps can be attached, since tautening of the fabric is not, in such case, possible.

The present invention is accordingly directed to an improved stitching apparatus including, in combination, means for feeding a garment or the like to a stitching station, characterized by great precision in the alignment of the hem or edge of the garment with respect to the sewing machine needle whereby a row or series of stitching cycles may be located, within close tolerances, a predetermined distance from the edge of the garment.

More particularly, this invention is directed to a garment transport for a stitching device, such as a button sewing machine having novel guide means for the edge ofa garment, or the like, whereby a row of buttons may be automatically sewn in fixed spaced relationship to the garment edge.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a combination garment transport and guide device which effectively guides a garment while moving the same longi tudinally beyond a stitching station, the device being effective to provide accurate guiding action although the garment is not maintained in tautened condition.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel guide and transport device for moving a garment or the like with respect to a feeding station while maintaining a predetermined spaced relationship between the garment edge and the stitching needle. A further object of the invention is the provision of a guide device as aforesaid, which will be effective to position the garment notwithstanding the garment is not mounted to the transport mechanism in tautened condition.

Still a further object is the provision of a guide means 3,162,154 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 which will permit accurate positioning of a garment, or the like, during longitudinal movement thereof although the garment is pulled or drawn beyond the stitching station by a single clamp secured to the garment.

In order more fully to describe the invention and illustrate its use, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified plan view of a portion of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4'of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on line 55 of FIG- URE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, showing a further embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the invention, 16 represents a stitching device which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a button sewing machine. The machine 10 is provided With a button feeder 11, both of said units being mounted on a work table 12. The numeral 13 represents a carriage member which is movably mounted on the work surface 12. A full description of the carriage 13 and the operation thereof is contained in the application previously noted and will not be here repeated, except to the extent necessary for an explanation of the-operation of the invention herein.

It will be suflicient for an understanding of the present invention to note that when carriage 13 is shifted to the left (as viewed in FIGURE 1), and subsequently released, a spring motor 14 associated with the carriage and wound by the movement aforesaid, returns the carriage to the initial (right handmost) position. In the course of the return motion, stops or abutments 15 engage mechanism carried by the sewing machine, and temporarily arrest the motion of the carriage, and also trigger the sewing machine and button feeder to perform their respective operations to aflix a button to a garment supported on the carriage.

A garment G may be stretched taut and retained within clamps 16, 17, or, in accordance with the present invention, the leading edge only of the garment may be secured in clamp 16.

As best seen in FIGURES 25, horizontally disposed base plate 20 of rigid design is fixed by bolts 21 to staggered bracket 22, which bracket is, in turn, secured to the platen or work face 23 of the sewing machine 10. The offset bracket 22 is forwardly and rearwardly adjustable with respect to the sewing machine, by the provision of slot 24 in bracket 22 (FIGURE 2), through which slot pass bolts 25 which are threaded into platen 23. The branches 26, 27 of bracket 22 are offset a vertical distance to align the upper surface of base plate 20, with the surface of platen 23, said plate preferably lying adjacent the platen.

A clamp or hold down spring member 30 is fixed at its rearward end 31 to plate 20 by bolts 21 which, as noted above, also secure the plate 20 to arm or branch 26 of bracket 22. The plate 20 and spring clamp 30 are provided with registering slot portions 29 and 32, respectively. A gauge pin 35, having an internal threaded portion, is fixed within slot 29 by a bolt 36 passing upwardly through slot 29 and threaded into the pin 35.

The pin 35 is of a diameter to pass with clearance through slot 32 in clamp 30, so as to permit relative vertical movement of spring 30 with respect to said pin. The pin 35 may be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly a stitching device 3 within the limits ofslot 29 by tightening the bolt 36 when pin 35is in the desired position.

g The clamp 33? at its forward end 37 is turned downwardly toward base plate 2%, and provides a substantially linear lower edge portion 38, which is biased by .the flexing of clamp 30 into contact with plat/e29. As bestseen'from FIGURES 2 and 5, the edge portion 38 of theembodiment of FIGURES 1-5 engages the plate 2%) in a line which is angularly oriented with respect to the direction of feed of the garment as the same is ad- :vanced from position to position beneath the sewing machine needle. As will be appreciated fromFIGUR E 2, the directionof angularity of the edge 38 is such as to urge fabrics, which are pressed by edge 33 against ,the plate 20, inwardly or toward pin 35.

' adjusted to the particular garment tobe processed. This adjustment is eifectedby first positioning pin .35 a distance from edge 38 which corresponds substantially to the spacing of the edge E of the garment from the edge V of the underfold or layer defining the fly or hem H ofthe garment. Next, bracket 22. is forwardly or rearwardly shifted by loosening bolts 25 and relocating the bracket 22 with respect to platen 23, so that the fly or hem H will be disposed the desired transverse distance with respect to the needle of the sewing machine.

The carriage lfv is next shifted to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, and the garment G is placed beneath clamp 30, the hem or fly portion thereof being straddled by edge 38 and pin 35. The leading edge of the garment is next located in clamp 16, and if desired, the trailing edge of the garment may be fixed in clamp 17. The carria ge may then be released and will travel automatically to the rightward position thereof under the influence of spring motor 14. In the course of such movement, the carriage is periodically stopped and a. stitching operation is performed on the garment in the stopped position thereof. I

The hem or fly of the garment will, in all instances, be accurately located with respect to the transverse spacing of the latter from the sewing machine needle. The

angled orientation of the edge 38 performs an important function in urging the hem into the area between the edge 38 and pin 35. The depressed portion 410 performs a double function of'augmenting the resilient engagement'of edge38 against thefabric, and also preventing an overfeeding or gathering of the fabric within the area between pin 35 and edge 38. While it will be recognized that the engagement of edge E of the fabric with pin 35 restrains, in a measure, the movement of fabric toward pin 35, this engagement alone, particularly in view of the angled edge 38, may not be a sufiicient influence against .overfeeding where a bight or wrinkle of fabric occurs through overfeeding.

The modification of FIGURE 6, in which like numerals represent like parts, illustrates a construction of particular utility where both ends of the garment are supported in the carriage clamp portions 16, 17. In this modification, a flat, longitudinally extendingplate 35a defines the inwardrnost guide point for engaging the edge E of the fabric and the edge 33a of the end of spring clamp 39a is aligned longitudinally with the direction of travel of the garment. Since the edge 33a is not angularly oriented, a portion equivalent to the depressor portion 46] of the embodiment of FIGURES 1-5 is not required.

The above described guide or centering device provides accurate positioning when used with a garment carriage or the like, notwithstanding the garment may be drawn by its leading edge only past the sti ching station. While a linearly shiftable carriage unit has been illustrated, it will be appreciated that the novel device herein may be used with substantially any garment moving device capable of shifting the garment longitudinally. Specifically, the use of the device in conjunction with a garment shift device wherein the leading edge of the garment is drawn downwardly while a portion of the garment is passed over a horizontal support is within the contemplation of the invention.

Also, while the device is illustrated in connection with garments having folded or doubled hem or fly portions, the aligning function, particularly in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-5, is not dependent upon the presence of a doubled portion, and does not require the use of the junction between the single and the double thickness of fabric to align the garment.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and sought to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A garment stitching device comprising a stitching station and powerized garment transport means engageable with a garment at at least one point thereon for advancing the same longitudinally beyond said stitching station, a base plate adjacent said stitching station, an abutment gauge mounted on said plate, a spring clamp member spaced from said gauge member and including a flange directed toward said plate and terminating in a generally planar edge portion biased into engagement with said plate, said edge portion and said plate defining a single, extended, substantially linear area of contact, said linear area being angularly oriented with respect to the direction of movement of said garment beyond said stitching station at an. angle to urge a garment compressed between said edge portion and plate into engagement with said abutment gauge member, said clamp member including a depressed portion intermediate said edge and said gauge member extending toward said base plate and disposed in proximate spaced relation thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 54,367 Knight May 1, 1866 80,558 Morrison Aug. 4, 1868 93,010 Rogers July 27, 1869 146,684 Johnson Jan. 26, 1874 1,023,335 Rontke Apr. 16, 1912 2,554,168 Becker May 22, 1951 2,647,479 Gentillo Aug. 4, 1953 2,952,227 Hale et 1. Sept. 13, 1960 

